Iran is studying nuclear fusion, the technology of the hydrogen bomb (H-bomb), according to Xinhua, the official Chinese news agency.

The Iranian program was revealed by Sadat Hosseini, an Iranian atomic energy official, who appeared on state-run television, according to Xinhua.

This is not a recent development. Rather, Iran initially attempted nuclear fusion five years ago, Hosseini was quoted as saying.

His revelation comes after Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Israel should be wiped from the map. Sen. Hillary Clinton of New York, a Democratic presidential candidate, has warned Iran that if it launches a nuclear attack on Israel, the United States would "obliterate" Iran in a retaliatory nuclear strike.

It is widely known that Iran conducts a uranium enrichment program, which for the record its leaders have said is for peaceful nuclear electrical generating purposes, but which leaders in the United Nations and developed countries fear Iran will use to produce atomic bombs.

An H-bomb, however, would be an immensely more powerful device, creating a gigantic thermonuclear explosion.

Hosseini said Iran merely wishes to catch up to nuclear capabilities of many other nations.

This news came as U.S. lawmakers are moving to place restraints on funding for construction of a European Missile Defense (EMD) system based on the U.S. Ground-based Midcourse Defense system now installed in Alaska and California.

The EMD could shield Europe, Israel and the United States against missile attacks that Iran might launch.

Before the EMD system can be installed, the Czech Republic first would have to provide siting permission for the radar, and Poland would have to approve construction of silos for EMD interceptors.

Hosseini made his remarks as a Russian official, Igor Ivanov, was visiting Iran to discuss nuclear issues. Ivanov is secretary of the Russian security council.